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  • Contact
  • About Us
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    • Dothan Music Academy
  • Band/Orchestra Rentals
  • Instruments
  • Gallery
  • Video
  • Our Blog

Three considerations for purchasing pianos

12/21/2016

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Whether you’re a lifelong musician or have just recently fallen in love with playing the piano, the decision to purchase your own instrument for home use is one that should be carefully considered.

While you’ll never regret your purchase, there are a few factors to think about before you head to the piano store to ensure you’re making the choice that’s right for you. If you live in Dothan, AL, you’re in luck: Latta Music Company has a large selection of pianos and is just around the corner.
Here, the music store team shares three tips for choosing the piano of your dreams:


Three Considerations For Purchasing Pianos
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1. Think About Your Needs
Even if you know very little about the instrument, the knowledgeable team at the piano store will be able to make some personalized recommendations for you, as long as you know what your needs are. For instance, you can think about the amount of space you have in your home or other practice area, how frequently you intend to play, and what your skill level is. You can also consider sound preference, as different types of pianos produce distinct types of sounds.

2. Choose Acoustic Or Electric
Technology has made it possible for electric pianos to produce a sound quality that’s remarkably similar to that of an acoustic piano, but many traditionalists still prefer the sound and feel of an acoustic instrument. With that said, the digital option certainly has its advantages. For one, it can produce many different types of sounds. Additionally, this option is typically more lightweight and affordable. Plus, they never need to be tuned, and you can even use headphones for quiet practicing.

3. Decide On Used Or New
Once you’ve settled on a type, it’s time to decide whether you’ll purchase a new or used instrument. While Latta Music Company carries a wide selection of the best brands of pianos, they also carry pre-owned pianos that have been expertly cleaned, restored, and tuned by their clean of professionals. Pre-owned instruments can be less expensive than new models, but if you have been playing for a while and have your heart set on a new piano, it can be a wise investment to make for your practice.
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Stop by the music store today to visit the perfect piano for you! To speak with one of Latta Music Company’s helpful associates, call (334)
793-7638.   
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Musical Christmas gifts

11/29/2016

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It’s almost Christmas time again!
The pressure is on to find the perfect gifts!
We have the answer for you…
 
Perhaps you’re racking your brain, trying to think of the next new toy that your child doesn’t already have.
Perhaps your mother wants to know what to get her granddaughter or grandson?

Have you thought about giving the Gift of Music?
Have you thought about buying an experience? Starting a life long Love of Music!
Did you know music classes are the #1 non-toy gift for children this season?
Many children have innate interests that you just don’t know about yet. Help them to discover more about themselves through musical play.

Children should be exposed to a range of activities and new things to learn, including music. Giving your child a gift like this could be priceless. Not only will your child grow and develop in ways you didn’t realise, but you’ll have wonderful things to talk about as he or she learns a new technique or a new song, or a new medley. Your bond with your child can become closer than ever!

Your child doesn’t need prior experience to start learning the piano or guitar, or to become fascinated with music making. That’s what makes it the perfect gift for anyone to give.

We offer basic, intermediate, and advanced lessons in piano, violin, guitar, and voice,  so it doesn’t matter how little or much experience they may have had.
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Latta Music teaches children from 3 to 93 years old.  Stop in anytime for your fun learning needs, and while you are here shop our huge selection of instruments.

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String Fling event at Latta Music

10/29/2016

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Don’t miss out on our Semi-Annual FREE STRING EVENT!!!!! At LATTA MUSIC-October 29th-Bring your guitar in for a restring.  We put the strings on for free.  Oh yes, and the strings are free too.   While you are here shop for all of your music needs.  Guitar, Piano, and Band Instrument with all of the accessories you need.

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Music store offers the Yamaha TransAcoustic piano

10/26/2016

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Musicians need a local music store with the most advanced products in stock, offering musical instrument repair, rentals, and lessons. Based in Dothan, AL, Latta Music Company carries the gold standard in acoustic pianos, including the Yamaha TransAcoustic™ Piano.

The Yamaha TransAcoustic Piano is the perfect instrument for any level of experience. This piano is a high-quality instrument, and the setup is completely intuitive. With the music lessons available, you can learn how to play the Yamaha TransAcoustic Piano for the first time, or brush up on your skills for a special occasion or newfound hobby.

With digital optimization, the Yamaha TransAcoustic Piano uses the most advanced musical technology to deliver a stunning sound. Yamaha pianos also include a patented technology, making them the most long-lasting, dependable company to buy or rent your musical instrument from. These pianos aren’t available everywhere, but Latta Music Company makes it a priority to be the most reliable musical instrument store in Dothan, offering the best selection around.

The advanced technology also requires a fitting musical instrument repair workshop, which Latta Music Company offers.  This system is also wonderful for special occasions where the music lessons you’ve taken are bound to pay off.

Latta Music Company is more than a music store—  it’s a community that teaches you how to utilize your piano or guitar for optimal results. You can call the professional staff directly at (334)
793-7638 to schedule your next music lesson with the Yamaha TransAcoustic Piano. 

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Three ways to save money by renting or purchasing used band instruments

10/5/2016

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Although many children begin taking music lessons at some point in their lives, a significant number give up playing the instrument within a few years.

Buying a new instrument can be an expensive gamble for parents if they aren't sure of their child's commitment level, which is why renting or purchasing a used instrument may be a better option.

The music instrument rental team at Latta Music Company explains why you should rent or purchase a used musical instrument.

Consider these three reasons to rent or buy a used instrument:
  • Costs Less To Get Started: Renting or purchasing a used instrument costs less than buying a brand new one, especially when you consider the cost of expensive instruments like trombones or violins. If you decide to rent an instrument and your child eventually outgrows it, many music stores offer free exchanges for a larger-sized instrument.

  • Saves Money On Repairs & Replacement: If your rental instrument becomes damaged, many rental companies will repair your instrument for a low cost or free of charge. Many music stores offer liability insurance covering the cost of the instrument if it’s lost or stolen.

  • Saves Money if Your Child Loses Interest: If your child decides they are no longer interested in playing the rented instrument, you can simply return it to the music store without worrying about additional expenses. Used instruments can be resold with the possibility of you receiving most of the money back that you paid for it. However, if you purchase a new instrument and resell it, you will lose a greater percentage of its value due to depreciation.

The music instrument rental team at Latta Music Company offers a huge variety of name-brand instruments available for rent. Give them a call at (334) 793-7638 to speak with a member of the staff to learn more about the band instruments and classes they have available.

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The importance of strings

9/20/2016

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When it comes to an acoustic guitar, one thing that is often overlooked is the importance of strings. Strings can have a profound effect on the tone of your instrument, and as such there are a few important ideas to keep in mind when dealing with them.

As a string ages, a number of things take place. They collect dirt and sweat from your hand, the metal fatigues and moisture slowly corrodes the string. Typically, each of these problems works to degrade the sound quality of the string by attenuating many of the treble overtones, which ultimately results in a dull and muddy sounding guitar. The longer you play on a set, the worse the problem will become. Since the change is usually gradual, new guitarists will occasionally fail to notice that the sound quality has been slowly worsening as they play, so it is important to pay special attention if you are just starting out. Fortunately, the cheap and easy fix for this is to replace your strings on regular intervals! The second you notice they stop feeling smooth to the touch and lose some of their “sweetness,” it’s time. This usually happens in a month or so for someone who plays every day.

Aside from simply replacing your strings, there is also a little bit of science behind which ones to choose. Strings can have a variety of different sound characteristics, ranging from bright to warm and quiet to loud. They can also have a variety of playability characteristics. Usually, larger string gauge(meaning string diameter) is going to provide greater volume and tend towards the warmer side of the spectrum when compared to smaller gauge. Large gauge strings will also have higher tension, making bends and fretting strings more difficult. When it comes to materials, bronze tends to be brighter than phosphor bronze, which in turn tends to be brighter than coated strings. Coated strings have the advantage of being less abrasive on the hands as well as having good longevity due to their corrosion resistant coating.

At the end of the day, the most important aspect of guitar strings is sound. While the above serves as a general guide, sound is subjective so it pays to experiment with different sets until you find one you like. If you’re not sure where to start, try to identify what your guitar does well, and balance it out with strings that cater to the opposite characteristics. That is to say, if you have a bass heavy guitar, perhaps a set of bronze or phosphor bronze strings would serve well since they are bright and can highlight the treble. You can then adjust and fine tune from there.
Credit: Acoustic Guitar Workshop
 
Come on in to Latta Music today to have a new set of strings put on your guitar.

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Five back-to-school essentials for any aspiring musician

9/7/2016

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With the school year beginning once again, it’s time to make sure your child has everything they need to succeed. For parents with children in band or music class, the back-to-school list can get a little lengthy; thankfully, Latta Music Company has you covered. Our music store has all the supplies necessary to help your child develop as a musician.

Whether it's for band or choir practice, you can find everything they need at Latta Music Company.


5 Essentials Items To Get From The Music Store

Musical Instruments
Whether your child is just beginning their musical academic career or in need of an upgrade, Latta Music Company has a wide selection of guitars, pianos, and band instruments available for sale or for rent.

Sheet Music
Just as it is with any school subject, music classes require studying. You can pick up some sheet music to help your child practice their skills.

Music Stands
Once you have sheet music, you’ll also need a music stand for them. Keep in mind that stands do more than prop them up; positioning sheet music straight ahead helps develop proper playing form. Not to mention, it also helps with posture!

Replacement Reeds & Strings
Many woodwind and stringed instruments, have pieces that need to be regularly replaced to ensure an exquisite-sounding instrument. Whether you need a single reed or a double reed, steel strings or nylon strings, you can trust Latta Music Company will have it.

Cleaners & Conditioners
As important as practice is, caring for the instrument is just as vital. A few minutes every now and then spent cleaning and polishing will help keep the instrument looking and sounding great for years to come.

Not only will you be able to find the musical supplies you need, but Latta Music Company also offers musical lessons. They have a variety of classes for kids and adults, so if you’re interested in providing them with supplementary lessons or you want to learn to play an instrument as well, they'll be able to help. To learn more about everything the music store has available,
​call (334) 793-6011.

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Dothan's top music company is your source for CMG Guitars

8/31/2016

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Latta Music Company, is your source for many of the most renowned brands of guitars, including Ibanez, Alvarez, Fender, and CMG. The showroom is lined with instruments just waiting for you to pick one up and ignite your musical passions. The expert staff can help you choose an instrument that fits your size, shape, and level of skill. In addition to music instrument sales, they offer musical instrument repair and rentals, as well as music lessons to help you perfect your craft.

About CMG Guitars
CMG, unlike most instrument manufacturers, is not a huge conglomerate that churns out guitars on an assembly line. It’s a  small, independent company owned and operated in Statesboro, Georgia, by a musician named Chris Mitchell.

Mitchell, a long-time guitarist, designs and selects each guitar model and names them after people he loves. Rather than assigning a serial number, he gives his guitars names like "the Ashlee" (after his wife) and "the Mark" (after his brother and original musical influence). CMG understands how often musicians develop a personal relationship with their instruments, and the goal is to build this special guitar for you.


Latta Music Company Is Your Source For CMG Guitars
Latta Music Company carries a large selection of CMG guitar models in various colors, including Amber, Georgia Honey, Georgia Sunset, Statesboro Blue, Mammoth Black, and two-tone. You have a variety of solid body electrics to choose from, along with the "Ashlee Semi-hollow," a solid top, semi-hollow electric guitar with "Calista cut" F-holes located on either side of the pickups. Every CMG guitar offers easy, responsive action and a clear, unblemished sound. If you want a custom color, speak with a music store representative about placing a special order.

Latta Music Company is your source for CMG guitars and other leading brands. They also carry a wide selection of new and used organs and pianos, band and orchestra instruments, music cases, music accessories, and sheet music.

Call (334) 793-6011 to speak with a knowledgeable professional about your instrument sales and repair needs.

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Do you know what music-making can do for you?

8/27/2016

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A recent study indicates that music-making can make the active older adult healthier!
Studies have shown:

  • A decrease in anxiety was evident after only 10 weeks

  • A brighter mood and decreased depression was found.

  • Loneliness decreased in the adults who took group music classes.
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  • There was a 92% increase in the growth hormone HGH. (This human growth hormone has been called the "feel good" hormone. It influences your energy level, muscle mass, bone density, aches and pains and even wrinkles!)

Dr. Frederick Tims, Ph.D., Chair of Music Therapy at Michigan State University, said: "We feel very strongly that the work we are doing suggests that abundant health benefits can be achieved by older people learning to play music in a supportive, socially enjoyable setting."

Not surprisingly, there is mounting medical evidence to support the connection between music and wellness in older people. Thousands of music therapists now work in psychiatric facilities, hospitals, hospice programs and senior centers.

The movement got a boost from a recent study done jointly by the University of Miami and four other schools. Researchers found that 130 older folks who took organ classes showed decreased levels of anxiety and depression - and may have bolstered their immune systems by making music.

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Musical instrument care

8/8/2016

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As we enter quickly into band season, Latta Music wants to remind you that keeping your instrument properly functioning relies upon you taking care of the instrument.  We have listed below information to help you out.
 
General Musical Instrument Care
  • Always keep your instrument in its case when not in use. Make sure case handles, hinges, locks and zippers are working properly.
  • Never set anything on top of your instrument, and never store anything on top of your instrument inside its case.
  • Don’t leave you instrument in extreme temperatures, as fluctuations can warp and damage your instrument.
  • Don’t leave your instrument in a car, where it’s susceptible to hot/cold temperatures as well as humidity fluctuations.
  • Don’t leave your instrument unattended, whether inside or outside of its case.
  • If your instrument is being brought inside from colder temperatures, allow it to warm up to room temperature before playing.
  • Keep your instrument clean of fingerprints and everyday dust and residue. Do this by wiping your instrument down with a clean, soft, non-treated cloth before storing.
  • Never attempt to repair an instrument at home. If a repair is needed, bring your instrument to Latta Music where we trained instrument repair technicians.
  • Consider insuring your instrument against theft or damages.

Most importantly, have fun playing music.  Call (334.793.6011) or visit Latta Music today to start having fun with music.
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3332 W. Main Street, Dothan, AL 36305    
Phone: (334) 793-6011    
Email: lattamusic@aol.com​


Store hours:
​Monday - Friday: 9:30 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday: 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday: Closed
Appointments are also available

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